Vintage Carousels and Flying Swings Make NYC a Little More Magical this Summer

On July 13th Fête Paradiso, the world’s first festival of vintage French carnival rides, arrives on New York City’s Governors Island. Expect vintage carousels, flying swings, and plenty of carnival games.

This 1897 bicycle carousel is one of only two in existence; the other one, which was featured in Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, is located at Paris’ Musée des Arts Forains. Constructed at a time when bikes were still a novelty, it was intended to teach people how to ride a bike and was powered by the pedaling of its riders. Though an electrical engine was eventually installed, the carousel can still be operated in manual mode.

Built in 1910 by the Limonaire Brothers, this century-old pipe organ—which features 92 keys instead of the traditional 50—is the only one of its size in Europe today. Designed as a stand-alone attraction, its position at the entrance of a fair was intended to lure additional ticket-buyers.

Built in 1850, The Great Horse Carousel is the festival’s oldest exhibit and one of its most sophisticated. All of the carousel’s 28 horses are “jumpers,” meaning they move up and down in a galloping motion, an unheard-of technical feat at the time.

One of the fest’s more contemporary rides is the Chinese Dragon, which was built in the 1940s and has seating for 52 adults and children.

Not all of Fête Paradiso’s attractions are mobile. The festival will feature a collection of carnival games from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Even the bar is vintage: French beer and wine is on tap inside this wooden bumper car kiosk from 1900.

Also being repurposed is a 1930 children’s carousel, which will serve as the festival’s entertainment kiosk, where you can catch period music and sideshow performances.